Public Services Related Work Experience?

Pcso ???

I know you're all trying to help, but did nobody read my initial post?

"Obviously joining the Special's would be ideal but they are currently not recruiting in the South West so that's out."

Mea culpa. Currently not recruiting, but I'm sure if you pester them enough and make sure they have your contact details, they'll be in touch. Organisations like that tend to bend over backwards if you're really keen. Ever considered the Reserve Forces? Not Old Bill I know, but it's a thought.

I just read my previous post back to myself and recognised I might have sounded like a bit of a cock so thanks for the reply!

I have emailed various departments of Devon and Cornwall Constabulary regarding any voluntary / specials / part time PCSO vacancies and am awaiting replies now - albeit I won't be holding my breath. I could even try visiting them in person?

Also, your reserve forces ideas got me searching good ol' google and I came across the Army University Officer Training Corps which sounds very appealing, although I have never heard of it before! I think it's perhaps like the TA but for those who are undertaking undergraduate / postgraduate study and as such, base any training or activities around weekends and holidays? I'm not sure .. but you get paid for attending such training which is a bonus and you don't have to join the Army upon graduation (which I do not want to do!)

I am just wandering if the Police Service would actually recognise this upon applying, or if it is just like glorified cadets. The website is as follows if you're interested / wouldn't mind helping me out!

http://www.army.mod.uk/UOTC/5458.aspx

Hahaha, good man, come find me during Exeter Freshers and we'll have a beer together!

TBH, I pestered all the people I could think of/get contact details for, and eventually got in several months under the age limit (but my paperwork was dated correctly ) It's amazing what people will do for you if you show willing, and keep in touch. Visiting in person is a great idea, as it shows you are really interested, and gives them a face to put to telephone calls/emails, especially if you make a good impression in person.

The OTC is like the TA in that it's part-time, and there the resemblance pretty much ends. In an over-generalised nutshell, the OTC is a student cadet drinking club with an Army problem, and the TA is currently training up blokes to deploy to Afghan to relieve overburdened regular units. Both have pros and cons - the OTC has no deployment liabilty (you won't suddenly be yanked from your degree to go and have a pop at Terry Taliban, for example) and fits in nicely with your studies, tending to be more sympathetic to your degree, whereas the TA is more full-on, you will take part in more advanced training, be a proper soldier, and have many more opportunities to get stuck in the warry stuff - doesn't take a genius to guess which I'm with!

The reason I mentioned the reserve forces is because of the training you might receive. For example, much of the theatre specific training I've been undertaking recently is very much like police work, with the arresting of suspects, locating and recording evidence etc. Obviously I'm not prepared to go into detail, but I've been told it's very similar to how the police handle things.

As to whether the police recognises time in the OTC, that's beyond my area of expertise, but I'd imagine it certainly wouldn't harm your application.

See you in September

So you're a Special?! I had no idea haha! And you're going to Exeter university too? What are you studying?

With regards to the reserved forces idea - do you have any suggestions about which would be best (very interested about the Police-related things you mentioned) I just thought of the OTC because of the potential "life skills" that it could offer me which I know the Police love to hear about on applications!